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Neal Carey #1
A Cool Breeze on the Underground
Neal Carey is not your usual private eye. A graduate student at Columbia University, he grew up on the streets of New York, usually on the wrong side of the law. Then he met Joe Graham, a one-armed P.I. who introduced him to the Bank, an exclusive New England institution with a sideline in keeping its wealthy clients happy and out of trouble. They pay Neal's college tuition, and Neal gets an education that can't be found in any textbook-- from learning how to trail a suspect to mastering the proper way to search a room.
Now it's payback time. The Bank wants Neal to put his skills to work in finding Allie Chase, the rebellious teenage daughter of a prominent senator. The problem: Allie has gone underground in London, and to get her back, Neal has to follow her into the punk scene, a violent netherworld where drugs run rampant and rage is the name of the game. Up against punk junkies, antique book thieves, and murderous betrayal, Neal has his work cut out for him to save Allie-- and get back above ground for good.
Now it's payback time. The Bank wants Neal to put his skills to work in finding Allie Chase, the rebellious teenage daughter of a prominent senator. The problem: Allie has gone underground in London, and to get her back, Neal has to follow her into the punk scene, a violent netherworld where drugs run rampant and rage is the name of the game. Up against punk junkies, antique book thieves, and murderous betrayal, Neal has his work cut out for him to save Allie-- and get back above ground for good.
323 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Don Winslow
93 books6,837 followersDon Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 368 reviews
April 4, 2012
Life is unfair, Mr. Winslow**, and I'm sorry. Chalk it up to bad timing, but them's the breaks. Your huffing and whining about my fickleness isn't going to change my mind, so just give it a rest and
I admit it...when I finished this last week, I was fully intent on giving this story a solid four stars. And deservedly so, as this is an interesting, well-written detective novel, with a unique set up and some truly excellent characters. Regarding the latter, I especially liked Joe Graham, the crafty, highly intelligent one-armed PI, who schools our main character in the art of detection...and life.
The problem, Mr. Winslow, is that in between the time I finished your book and began writing this review, I read Megan Abbott’s amazing The Song is You and Dennis Lehane’s A Drink Before the War (review forthcoming), both of which made your story look a bit sluggish and drab by comparison. I'm sorry, but if you're books are going to keep company with studs and starlets like those two, those are the risks you take.
Still, I don’t think you should hang your head regarding this 3 star rating for a couple of very good reasons. First, the actual rating is 3.5 which is just a kiss away from really good. Second, this is a solid, well executed story with terrific upside potential for future volumes.
Let’s look at just a few of the positives shall we:
1. The story is headquartered in Rhode Island. Now, how many good, quality
detective novels are set there?
2. The central organization that your characters work for is a clandestine, very powerful “problem solving” department inside a family-owned bank. A bank sporting a colorful history with roots back to the founding of the U.S. of A. Again, bonus points for creativity.
3. Neal Carey, your main character, is not your typical hardboiled dick. He’s a master’s student at Columbia specializing in 19th century literature, who owes his education, and his life, to the aforementioned organization.
4. The central plot is, once again, very creative. Neal recruited to go to London to locate the rebellious teenage daughter of a prominent Senator so she can be detoxed and wheeled in front of the cameras when daddy gets nominated for Vice President at the Democratic Convention. Nicely done, sir.
5. Joe Graham. Definitely my favorite character and one I hope to read a lot more about in future installments.
6. Finally, dark family secrets, greedy scumbags, interesting supporting characters and a believable story with a genuine core of emotion wafting through the narrative.
All of the above are praise-worthy attributes, Mr. Winslow. You should be proud.
Now, I do have one gripe, that I mentioned to you earlier. I thought the pacing was a bit off, especially during the time spent in London, which should have been significantly scaled back. I still liked it, and to some extent I understood why the time was stretched out, but it still dragged. I found myself antsy for the ball to move toward the goal line.
That’s really it. One tiny complaint about a few slow segments that I think could have been edited down or at least spiced up. I was still very prepared to give this four stars.
Unfortunately, that saucy, smooth-writing minx, Ms. Abbott, and her figurative partner in crime, Dennis “I wrote one of the best detective novels ever, so all the rest of you can suck it” Lehane, cast a rather large shadow across this book. I was forced, forced mind you, to downgrade 1 star. Really, the downgrade was only a half star, if that makes you feel better.
It doesn’t? Oh...sorry.
Would it help you to know that Savages (soon to be a major motion picture) is still one of my “all time favorite” novels ever...of any genre. I even splurged for a rare, signed first edition so that I could forever have it as part of my collection. Feel any better?
No? Not at all? Sorry, I guess there’s no pleasing some people.
This is a good book, very much worth reading. Just read The Song is You and A Drink Before the War first, and if you haven’t read Savages yet, read that before anything else.
3.5 stars. Recommended (almost highly).
**it should go without saying, but the entire set up for this review is a goof. Hopefully, an enjoyable one, but still a goof. Obviously, Mr. Winslow could care less whether I rate this 3 stars, 4 stars, or just set myself on fire while roasting marshmallows. Thank you, and good night.
I admit it...when I finished this last week, I was fully intent on giving this story a solid four stars. And deservedly so, as this is an interesting, well-written detective novel, with a unique set up and some truly excellent characters. Regarding the latter, I especially liked Joe Graham, the crafty, highly intelligent one-armed PI, who schools our main character in the art of detection...and life.
The problem, Mr. Winslow, is that in between the time I finished your book and began writing this review, I read Megan Abbott’s amazing The Song is You and Dennis Lehane’s A Drink Before the War (review forthcoming), both of which made your story look a bit sluggish and drab by comparison. I'm sorry, but if you're books are going to keep company with studs and starlets like those two, those are the risks you take.
Still, I don’t think you should hang your head regarding this 3 star rating for a couple of very good reasons. First, the actual rating is 3.5 which is just a kiss away from really good. Second, this is a solid, well executed story with terrific upside potential for future volumes.
Let’s look at just a few of the positives shall we:
1. The story is headquartered in Rhode Island. Now, how many good, quality
detective novels are set there?
2. The central organization that your characters work for is a clandestine, very powerful “problem solving” department inside a family-owned bank. A bank sporting a colorful history with roots back to the founding of the U.S. of A. Again, bonus points for creativity.
3. Neal Carey, your main character, is not your typical hardboiled dick. He’s a master’s student at Columbia specializing in 19th century literature, who owes his education, and his life, to the aforementioned organization.
4. The central plot is, once again, very creative. Neal recruited to go to London to locate the rebellious teenage daughter of a prominent Senator so she can be detoxed and wheeled in front of the cameras when daddy gets nominated for Vice President at the Democratic Convention. Nicely done, sir.
5. Joe Graham. Definitely my favorite character and one I hope to read a lot more about in future installments.
6. Finally, dark family secrets, greedy scumbags, interesting supporting characters and a believable story with a genuine core of emotion wafting through the narrative.
All of the above are praise-worthy attributes, Mr. Winslow. You should be proud.
Now, I do have one gripe, that I mentioned to you earlier. I thought the pacing was a bit off, especially during the time spent in London, which should have been significantly scaled back. I still liked it, and to some extent I understood why the time was stretched out, but it still dragged. I found myself antsy for the ball to move toward the goal line.
That’s really it. One tiny complaint about a few slow segments that I think could have been edited down or at least spiced up. I was still very prepared to give this four stars.
Unfortunately, that saucy, smooth-writing minx, Ms. Abbott, and her figurative partner in crime, Dennis “I wrote one of the best detective novels ever, so all the rest of you can suck it” Lehane, cast a rather large shadow across this book. I was forced, forced mind you, to downgrade 1 star. Really, the downgrade was only a half star, if that makes you feel better.
It doesn’t? Oh...sorry.
Would it help you to know that Savages (soon to be a major motion picture) is still one of my “all time favorite” novels ever...of any genre. I even splurged for a rare, signed first edition so that I could forever have it as part of my collection. Feel any better?
No? Not at all? Sorry, I guess there’s no pleasing some people.
This is a good book, very much worth reading. Just read The Song is You and A Drink Before the War first, and if you haven’t read Savages yet, read that before anything else.
3.5 stars. Recommended (almost highly).
**it should go without saying, but the entire set up for this review is a goof. Hopefully, an enjoyable one, but still a goof. Obviously, Mr. Winslow could care less whether I rate this 3 stars, 4 stars, or just set myself on fire while roasting marshmallows. Thank you, and good night.
April 24, 2018
A fun mix of Trevanian, John D. MacDonald and F. Paul Wilson.
This was Don Winslow’s first publication when he was a bright eyed 38-year-old writer. Winslow introduces us to his very original protagonist, reluctant private investigator and solver of problems Neal Carey. A modern combination of the Artful Dodger and Repairman Jack, Carey was raised on the streets but is being groomed for better things by a secretive organization called The Bank. This clandestine group of fixers helps out “Friends of the Family” and provides a source of adventure for our reading enjoyment.
Carey’s tutor, his Fagan, is a one-armed street wise player named Joe Graham who quietly steals the show. Taking Carey under his one wing, Graham brings up Carey to be a savvy operator if not a tough guy and one of the rising stars in The Bank.
This needs to be made into a film and directed by Guy Ritchie as much of the action takes place on the mean streets of London. Wise guy London punk is the theme and this is Winslow after all so there is plenty of sex, drugs and rock and roll.
Carey is sent out to find the runaway daughter of an ambitious US senator and gets himself in and out of scrapes along the way in a nicely tied up crime fiction thriller.
Fun but thoughtful, I’ll be back to read more from Winslow and more Carey books.
This was Don Winslow’s first publication when he was a bright eyed 38-year-old writer. Winslow introduces us to his very original protagonist, reluctant private investigator and solver of problems Neal Carey. A modern combination of the Artful Dodger and Repairman Jack, Carey was raised on the streets but is being groomed for better things by a secretive organization called The Bank. This clandestine group of fixers helps out “Friends of the Family” and provides a source of adventure for our reading enjoyment.
Carey’s tutor, his Fagan, is a one-armed street wise player named Joe Graham who quietly steals the show. Taking Carey under his one wing, Graham brings up Carey to be a savvy operator if not a tough guy and one of the rising stars in The Bank.
This needs to be made into a film and directed by Guy Ritchie as much of the action takes place on the mean streets of London. Wise guy London punk is the theme and this is Winslow after all so there is plenty of sex, drugs and rock and roll.
Carey is sent out to find the runaway daughter of an ambitious US senator and gets himself in and out of scrapes along the way in a nicely tied up crime fiction thriller.
Fun but thoughtful, I’ll be back to read more from Winslow and more Carey books.
February 18, 2021
Fast paced thriller that will keep your head spinning from the various plot lines. A better ending is all that keeps this from 5 stars. 8 of 10 stars
February 11, 2021
Neal Carey is a graduate student who just wants to focus on his studies of 18th century English literature, but his schooling is paid for through an unusual arrangement with a bank who occasionally needs some discreet detective work done for its wealthy clients. When the rebellious daughter of a politician runs away just before he is about to enter the national spotlight, Neal is pressed into service to find and return the girl. He trails her to London, but along the way he learns the dark secret that was the reason she left which may also be why some people would rather say her dead than back home.
Like a lot of crime writers Don Winslow got his start with a series before moving on to more ambitious types of books. With Neal Carey he created an interesting lead and gave him an extensive origin story as a street kid with an absentee junkie mother who was trained by one of the bank’s other operatives to be a detective/fixer from a young age.
Overall this is solid start to a great writing career. Winslow’s skill is apparent from the jump, but I may have enjoyed this book more if it had just a little less going on in it. With the main plot, the flashbacks to Neal’s origins, the elaborate scheme to get the young woman away from the pimp/drug dealer she’s living with in London, the inevitable double cross, and a theme about wealth and corruption, etc., etc., - that’s a lot for one average sized novel.
I also got a little annoyed with Neal this time because of his reluctance. Yes, Winslow gives him reasons and motivations for why he doesn’t want to do this job or work for the bank anymore, but an entire book where the lead would rather be doing something else kind of wore me out.
Still, it’s an interesting premise for a great writer who was just figuring it all out, and he’d later be able to balance backstory, plot, and character with much more success in a book like The Winter of Frankie Machine. As first efforts go, this is a good one.
Like a lot of crime writers Don Winslow got his start with a series before moving on to more ambitious types of books. With Neal Carey he created an interesting lead and gave him an extensive origin story as a street kid with an absentee junkie mother who was trained by one of the bank’s other operatives to be a detective/fixer from a young age.
Overall this is solid start to a great writing career. Winslow’s skill is apparent from the jump, but I may have enjoyed this book more if it had just a little less going on in it. With the main plot, the flashbacks to Neal’s origins, the elaborate scheme to get the young woman away from the pimp/drug dealer she’s living with in London, the inevitable double cross, and a theme about wealth and corruption, etc., etc., - that’s a lot for one average sized novel.
I also got a little annoyed with Neal this time because of his reluctance. Yes, Winslow gives him reasons and motivations for why he doesn’t want to do this job or work for the bank anymore, but an entire book where the lead would rather be doing something else kind of wore me out.
Still, it’s an interesting premise for a great writer who was just figuring it all out, and he’d later be able to balance backstory, plot, and character with much more success in a book like The Winter of Frankie Machine. As first efforts go, this is a good one.
February 25, 2023
A Cool Breeze On the Underground is a PI novel of the highest order and the first in a series that’s 5 books strong. It introduces Neal Carey who has been mentored by one of the canniest investigators walking New York’s streets. Unfortunately, Carey simply wants to finish his studies of 18th century literature. But his schooling has been funded by a bank that offers its rich clients a discreet detective service and he is obliged to pay off his debt by using the detective skills he has been honing since a young age.
And for the majority of the first part of the book, it’s the way in which Carey is mentored by Joe Graham that is the focus. It very much reads as a How To guide on being an A-grade private investigator. It both establishes Carey’s background and explains his credentials. It’s clearly the lead-in portion for the rest of the series and it leaves you with little doubt that he’s a pretty formidable character.
The bank calls in its debt by assigning Carey the task of tracking down the whereabouts of problem child Allie Chase, daughter of a prominent US senator who has aspirations of a higher office. While living at home she had developed both a drinking and drug abuse problem, but she has since run off to London where it’s likely she has turned to prostitution and further drug use. It’s Carey’s job to find her and bring her back to the family home in time for her father’s big political announcement.
Carey hits London and eventually tracks down his quarry. But finding her and completing his mission are two very different things and this is where life gets complicated, dangerous and filled with treachery.
There is a definite delineation within the story that marks a complete change in the book’s pace and the tone of the story. The first half rollicks along as we get the full Neal Carey story, his exceptional capabilities in most areas of detection and some enlightening moments where we witness him in action. The second half screeches to a near walk and we get a glimpse of a far different Carey, one where he displays a gentler, caring and more sensitive side.
I felt these two sides of the same man helped to create a fully developed persona to get invested in. He becomes a more intriguing character and it ensured that I was completely on his side both for the outcome of this case and for those in the upcoming books of the series.
Although a fine private detective, Neal Carey is a reluctant hero who would much rather be engrossed in his literature studies. This reluctance could have been a massive obstacle in the flow of the story but, instead, it becomes one of the real assets to its success. It gives Carey greater depth, makes him more relatable and allows him to approach people with the sensitivity required to make good decisions. In short, he’s a nice guy and I was happy to be in his corner.
A Cool Breeze On the Underground proves to contain a more complicated plot than first appearances would have you believe. It’s a detective story that sits very comfortably as one of the more fully formed and held me with rapt attention from go to woah.
And for the majority of the first part of the book, it’s the way in which Carey is mentored by Joe Graham that is the focus. It very much reads as a How To guide on being an A-grade private investigator. It both establishes Carey’s background and explains his credentials. It’s clearly the lead-in portion for the rest of the series and it leaves you with little doubt that he’s a pretty formidable character.
The bank calls in its debt by assigning Carey the task of tracking down the whereabouts of problem child Allie Chase, daughter of a prominent US senator who has aspirations of a higher office. While living at home she had developed both a drinking and drug abuse problem, but she has since run off to London where it’s likely she has turned to prostitution and further drug use. It’s Carey’s job to find her and bring her back to the family home in time for her father’s big political announcement.
Carey hits London and eventually tracks down his quarry. But finding her and completing his mission are two very different things and this is where life gets complicated, dangerous and filled with treachery.
There is a definite delineation within the story that marks a complete change in the book’s pace and the tone of the story. The first half rollicks along as we get the full Neal Carey story, his exceptional capabilities in most areas of detection and some enlightening moments where we witness him in action. The second half screeches to a near walk and we get a glimpse of a far different Carey, one where he displays a gentler, caring and more sensitive side.
I felt these two sides of the same man helped to create a fully developed persona to get invested in. He becomes a more intriguing character and it ensured that I was completely on his side both for the outcome of this case and for those in the upcoming books of the series.
Although a fine private detective, Neal Carey is a reluctant hero who would much rather be engrossed in his literature studies. This reluctance could have been a massive obstacle in the flow of the story but, instead, it becomes one of the real assets to its success. It gives Carey greater depth, makes him more relatable and allows him to approach people with the sensitivity required to make good decisions. In short, he’s a nice guy and I was happy to be in his corner.
A Cool Breeze On the Underground proves to contain a more complicated plot than first appearances would have you believe. It’s a detective story that sits very comfortably as one of the more fully formed and held me with rapt attention from go to woah.
February 7, 2021
"He was lonely, but he was used to that. He had his books to read."
- Don Winslow, A Cool Breeze on the Underground.
Don't worry, I only give away the endings. Sometimes I wished I read authors in order. I'm only hitting Don Winslow's 1st novel late in my Don Winslow game. I think I might have 2 more fiction books of his and one more nonfiction before I'm a Don Winslow completist. But this one is one of my favorites. It is your typical detective fiction if you thread you typical detective fiction with characters that seem to fall out of a Dickens novel and are studied up on Smollett novels and Peeble's A Short History of Scotland.
It isn't a perfect novel, but for readers of classic 18th and 19th Century English fiction and American detective novels, it doesn't get more perfect than this one.
- Don Winslow, A Cool Breeze on the Underground.
Don't worry, I only give away the endings. Sometimes I wished I read authors in order. I'm only hitting Don Winslow's 1st novel late in my Don Winslow game. I think I might have 2 more fiction books of his and one more nonfiction before I'm a Don Winslow completist. But this one is one of my favorites. It is your typical detective fiction if you thread you typical detective fiction with characters that seem to fall out of a Dickens novel and are studied up on Smollett novels and Peeble's A Short History of Scotland.
It isn't a perfect novel, but for readers of classic 18th and 19th Century English fiction and American detective novels, it doesn't get more perfect than this one.
April 21, 2013
Don Windlow's "A Cool Breeze on the Underground" is the first in the Neal Carey series. I'll say it right upfront, this series acts as filler for me, something to read in-between books I'm pining for, or books I'm waiting to get published.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book...especially the character development for Neal as he learns his craft. The premise is fairly original...a thief being trained by a bank to help its customers without resorting to overtly covert activities. The plot moves along nicely, characterization of hero is well developed (reminds me a lot of Elvis especially with Neal's biting sarcasm), and the book contains settings that have been written using a scalpel - clean, solid, but not unique. Here's what Winslow says about the creation of Neal Carey:
"The inspiration behind the Neal Carey series was real easy. I was a graduate student trying to get an advanced degree in history and I couldn’t attend classes because I was working as a P.I. and I was always being sent out on cases, and that’s just like Neal Carey. A lot of the cases I was being sent out on were called in those days were called Golden Retriever work–go fetch, go get em–runaway teenagers, business men who were off on a drunken tear somewhere and it was my job to find them and bring them back. And so when I first started to get serious about writing I was doing a lot of things to make a living: I was a PI, I was a safari guide, I was directing Shakespeare in the summer’s at Oxford, believe it or not, and so I took that old thing “write what you know.” I loved the crime genre, you know I was reading John McDonald and Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler and those guys and so I said okay, I’ll write about a graduate student who can’t finish his degree because he was being sent out on cases."
Though not necessarily a negative: I do think if the author's name had been hidden from me, any number of accomplished authors could have written this and I would not be able to distinguish this one from another author's in terms of "style". This, as opposed to reading a Burke, or Krueger, or Nesbo novel where the style is particular to the author.
From reviews I've read, the Neal Carey series is not Winslow's best. For his better books, I'm being referred to Savages and The Winter of Frankie Machine which I plan to read shortly.
You know, it's Winslow's upbringing that actually fascinates me more, for example:
"Winslow: Oh, man. There’s no short history. My dad was a Navy man, Marine in World War II, and then into the Navy, Childhood was spent on most of the destroyer ports on the East Coast. My mom was from New Orleans, my dad met her while he was on leave during World War II. They got married six weeks later, and she came from a family of gamblers. My grandmother was a ward healer for Huey Long after the depression, and then she worked for Carlos Marcello the Mafia chief who probably had Kennedy killed — who by the way I met as a child we used to go to parties at his house in Algiers."
So, ok, I'm giving it 3 stars, but am looking forward to reading Savages and The Winter of Frankie Machine
For now, I plan to repeat this review for all the Neal Carey series, unless something drastic changes in subsequent Carey novels.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book...especially the character development for Neal as he learns his craft. The premise is fairly original...a thief being trained by a bank to help its customers without resorting to overtly covert activities. The plot moves along nicely, characterization of hero is well developed (reminds me a lot of Elvis especially with Neal's biting sarcasm), and the book contains settings that have been written using a scalpel - clean, solid, but not unique. Here's what Winslow says about the creation of Neal Carey:
"The inspiration behind the Neal Carey series was real easy. I was a graduate student trying to get an advanced degree in history and I couldn’t attend classes because I was working as a P.I. and I was always being sent out on cases, and that’s just like Neal Carey. A lot of the cases I was being sent out on were called in those days were called Golden Retriever work–go fetch, go get em–runaway teenagers, business men who were off on a drunken tear somewhere and it was my job to find them and bring them back. And so when I first started to get serious about writing I was doing a lot of things to make a living: I was a PI, I was a safari guide, I was directing Shakespeare in the summer’s at Oxford, believe it or not, and so I took that old thing “write what you know.” I loved the crime genre, you know I was reading John McDonald and Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler and those guys and so I said okay, I’ll write about a graduate student who can’t finish his degree because he was being sent out on cases."
Though not necessarily a negative: I do think if the author's name had been hidden from me, any number of accomplished authors could have written this and I would not be able to distinguish this one from another author's in terms of "style". This, as opposed to reading a Burke, or Krueger, or Nesbo novel where the style is particular to the author.
From reviews I've read, the Neal Carey series is not Winslow's best. For his better books, I'm being referred to Savages and The Winter of Frankie Machine which I plan to read shortly.
You know, it's Winslow's upbringing that actually fascinates me more, for example:
"Winslow: Oh, man. There’s no short history. My dad was a Navy man, Marine in World War II, and then into the Navy, Childhood was spent on most of the destroyer ports on the East Coast. My mom was from New Orleans, my dad met her while he was on leave during World War II. They got married six weeks later, and she came from a family of gamblers. My grandmother was a ward healer for Huey Long after the depression, and then she worked for Carlos Marcello the Mafia chief who probably had Kennedy killed — who by the way I met as a child we used to go to parties at his house in Algiers."
So, ok, I'm giving it 3 stars, but am looking forward to reading Savages and The Winter of Frankie Machine
For now, I plan to repeat this review for all the Neal Carey series, unless something drastic changes in subsequent Carey novels.
January 31, 2018
Despite being written by Don Winslow (SAVAGES, POWER OF THE DOG etc.) the first book in the Neal Carey PI series doesn't read like a Don Winslow book. At least not initially.
I think too much emphasis was placed on developing Neal Carey's origin; the finer points to honing his craft as a deft private detective who could easily turn cat burglar or stalker extraordinaire. His relationship with Joe Graham, a one-armed PI who recruited Carey into the secret association, understandably added context to the present day setting, yet, this combined with extensive skills training did have a tendency to detract from what was really an entertaining and page-turning plot.
As a side note of interest, I love books that bring books in general into context within the main story and Winslow does just that here by using a rare book worth 20k to a collector as a means of introducing one of his character's into the world of drug running - where crime and fiction collide.
I got the feeling Winslow was just developing his voice in crime fiction yet A COOL BREEZE ON THE UNDERGROUND is no amateur feat. The dialogue is sharp, the characters have a voice of their own, and the plot is pretty damn good. With a couple nice twists to keep things interesting, A COOL BREEZE ON THE UNDERGROUND has me wanting to rush out and grab a copy of the follow-up in THE TRAIL TO BUDDHA'S WINDOW, the second book to feature Neal Carey.
Review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...
I think too much emphasis was placed on developing Neal Carey's origin; the finer points to honing his craft as a deft private detective who could easily turn cat burglar or stalker extraordinaire. His relationship with Joe Graham, a one-armed PI who recruited Carey into the secret association, understandably added context to the present day setting, yet, this combined with extensive skills training did have a tendency to detract from what was really an entertaining and page-turning plot.
As a side note of interest, I love books that bring books in general into context within the main story and Winslow does just that here by using a rare book worth 20k to a collector as a means of introducing one of his character's into the world of drug running - where crime and fiction collide.
I got the feeling Winslow was just developing his voice in crime fiction yet A COOL BREEZE ON THE UNDERGROUND is no amateur feat. The dialogue is sharp, the characters have a voice of their own, and the plot is pretty damn good. With a couple nice twists to keep things interesting, A COOL BREEZE ON THE UNDERGROUND has me wanting to rush out and grab a copy of the follow-up in THE TRAIL TO BUDDHA'S WINDOW, the second book to feature Neal Carey.
Review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...
October 17, 2015
A young man who is left to his own devises after the death of his mother, is recruited by a wise guy who helps him develop his natural skills as a pick pocket etc. As his skills and potential exceed that of his teacher he is noticed by the boss who in turn puts him in a very expensive, private school and then eventually college.
There is of course an unspoken agreement that he will take care of situations that require his skill set. Unfortunately he soon becomes aware of corruption within this corrupt group and ends up having to fight for his life.
This was a good crime mystery and kept my attention throughout. Joe Barrett did a good job with many different voices.
There is of course an unspoken agreement that he will take care of situations that require his skill set. Unfortunately he soon becomes aware of corruption within this corrupt group and ends up having to fight for his life.
This was a good crime mystery and kept my attention throughout. Joe Barrett did a good job with many different voices.
May 8, 2013
Discovering a new author you can’t live without is like finding first love: sure you know it’s out there somewhere; you’ll know it when you find it; it’ll be an experience that’ll take your breath away and leave you begging for more; you can’t really stop to look for it; and when you find it, it’ll probably change your life. I know it sounds inane, but books really can change your life, or help you make some new discovery about yourself.
A COOL BREEZE ON THE UNDERGROUND almost stole my heart. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but like me, it wasn’t afraid of its flaws, and it presented them unabashedly to the world. Neal Carey may not be your typical PI, but he does a damn fine job at getting the girl. Allie Chase is filled with more secrets than a piñata, and she’s not about to open herself up to just anyone, even if she is running from her life, or at least running from her past. Both characters carried this novel well, certainly enhancing my overall reading experience with a little charisma, charm, and more than a few drug-induced highs.
This novel did toss a lot of backstory in the reader’s direction, and while it was all interesting and important to Neal’s character, I did feel like we’d jump forward and then jump backward, slowing down the pace a bit. This improved considerably over the second half of the book, and I raced to the end faster than a leprechaun chasing after his pot of gold.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention much of Don Winslow’s dialogue was top shelf, and the rapid fire exchanges made me giddy with pleasure. After watching Savages, I was thrilled to discover I had this novel just waiting to be plucked off my Kindle. I soaked it up faster than a sunbathing, bikini clad, college co-ed.
A COOL BREEZE ON THE UNDERGROUND almost stole my heart. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but like me, it wasn’t afraid of its flaws, and it presented them unabashedly to the world. Neal Carey may not be your typical PI, but he does a damn fine job at getting the girl. Allie Chase is filled with more secrets than a piñata, and she’s not about to open herself up to just anyone, even if she is running from her life, or at least running from her past. Both characters carried this novel well, certainly enhancing my overall reading experience with a little charisma, charm, and more than a few drug-induced highs.
This novel did toss a lot of backstory in the reader’s direction, and while it was all interesting and important to Neal’s character, I did feel like we’d jump forward and then jump backward, slowing down the pace a bit. This improved considerably over the second half of the book, and I raced to the end faster than a leprechaun chasing after his pot of gold.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention much of Don Winslow’s dialogue was top shelf, and the rapid fire exchanges made me giddy with pleasure. After watching Savages, I was thrilled to discover I had this novel just waiting to be plucked off my Kindle. I soaked it up faster than a sunbathing, bikini clad, college co-ed.
January 12, 2020
I absolutely loved A Cool Breeze on the Underground by Don Winslow and will certainly read more books in the Neal Carey series, even though their ratings are not very high.
Winslow seems to have fun writing. He's a smartass, or at least appeared to be in writing this book, and I loved his smartass humor. His characters were fun, had depth but were definitely characters as opposed to everyday people.
Neal is a boy of ten or eleven years of age who lives pretty much on the street going home occasionally to take care of his prostitute, drug-addict mother - a big ask for a young kid but Neal, as you had already surmised, is no ordinary kid. He tries to rip off a thief who quickly develops a soft spot for him and takes him on as an apprentice. Neal's training to be a thief is rigorous, indeed. And really unique and enjoyable to read about.
All of that takes places as a flashback, subplot subordinate to Neal's current task of finding, in London, a US Senator's runaway daughter and bringing her home in time for the Presidential nominating convention.
Winslow is so inventive and the book was so much fun to read that I almost broke my rule of never reading two books by the same author in a row. Although written in 1996, the book was as up to date as it needed to be and obviously, I loved it and have now added Don Winslow to my list of "Who cares about the ratings, I love this guy's writing?" Best book I have read in a year or so.
Winslow seems to have fun writing. He's a smartass, or at least appeared to be in writing this book, and I loved his smartass humor. His characters were fun, had depth but were definitely characters as opposed to everyday people.
Neal is a boy of ten or eleven years of age who lives pretty much on the street going home occasionally to take care of his prostitute, drug-addict mother - a big ask for a young kid but Neal, as you had already surmised, is no ordinary kid. He tries to rip off a thief who quickly develops a soft spot for him and takes him on as an apprentice. Neal's training to be a thief is rigorous, indeed. And really unique and enjoyable to read about.
All of that takes places as a flashback, subplot subordinate to Neal's current task of finding, in London, a US Senator's runaway daughter and bringing her home in time for the Presidential nominating convention.
Winslow is so inventive and the book was so much fun to read that I almost broke my rule of never reading two books by the same author in a row. Although written in 1996, the book was as up to date as it needed to be and obviously, I loved it and have now added Don Winslow to my list of "Who cares about the ratings, I love this guy's writing?" Best book I have read in a year or so.
January 23, 2020
3,5 stars
I became a huge fan of the author since I was the half way through my first Don Winslow, The Power of the Dog, the first book in the series of the same name. (I truly can't recommend it highly enough!)
His debut novel A Cool Breeze on the Underground has everything what I appreciate about Don Winslow's writing: a complexity of the plot, masterpiecely-developed characters (that applies not only to the MCs but also to the numerous numbers of supporting cast), excellent dialogues and not to forget his dry sence of humour. Had I read this book not immediately after The Force I would have been for sure less critical.
Not my favourite by the author but still a very enjoyable recommended read and a nicely done audio book.
March 3, 2020
This book and its protagonist, the anti-hero hero, Neal Carey, was like a breath of fresh air to read for me. Neither the Carey nor the author, Don Winslow, seem to take themselves too seriously. While this story is a drama, it is spattered with banter and thoughts that induce smiles.
Neal Carey acts much like a private detective, but he is, in fact, acting outside the law, but not outside justice. Carey is tasked with finding the wayward daughter of a political figure with high aspirations. Perhaps not that challenging until you add in that Carey must do so without going to the authorities, without causing any publicity, and not only find the young woman but get her dried out from drugs all by an August 1 deadline (the assignment is made in May). What is at stake for Carey, beyond his earnings for the assignment, is his future. Should he not fulfill these obligations, Carey can kiss away any hope of earning his graduate degree.
This in an interesting story in many ways, not the least of which is a retrospective of Carey's street-wise education via a man who serves as his father figure.
Neal Carey acts much like a private detective, but he is, in fact, acting outside the law, but not outside justice. Carey is tasked with finding the wayward daughter of a political figure with high aspirations. Perhaps not that challenging until you add in that Carey must do so without going to the authorities, without causing any publicity, and not only find the young woman but get her dried out from drugs all by an August 1 deadline (the assignment is made in May). What is at stake for Carey, beyond his earnings for the assignment, is his future. Should he not fulfill these obligations, Carey can kiss away any hope of earning his graduate degree.
This in an interesting story in many ways, not the least of which is a retrospective of Carey's street-wise education via a man who serves as his father figure.
February 16, 2021
Yeah, I liked this. Neal Carey is a smart, funny and likeable character.
Neal, raised by his "dad" in the art of small cons and street hustles, is majoring in English Lit while occasionally doing jobs for "The Family." His latest assignment involves some senator's missing wild child, and he needs her for some publicity shots - can he get her home by August?
Neal tracks her to London, where her pimp/boyfriend is keeping her just doped enough to turn tricks without complaint. Getting chummy with the local scum isn't really what Neal signed up for, but it's the only way he can stick close to her. This was my favorite part of the book - Neal's scene in the pricey restaurant where he steals Colin's wallet; tracking the group through the streets, and finally partying with them at the club. Once he's in with their group, he comes up with a nice little bait and switch con that will (hopefully) leave Crisp and Colin holding the bag for the police. Needless to say, things don't go as planned.
I had fun with this and I'll be reading more in the series.
Neal, raised by his "dad" in the art of small cons and street hustles, is majoring in English Lit while occasionally doing jobs for "The Family." His latest assignment involves some senator's missing wild child, and he needs her for some publicity shots - can he get her home by August?
Neal tracks her to London, where her pimp/boyfriend is keeping her just doped enough to turn tricks without complaint. Getting chummy with the local scum isn't really what Neal signed up for, but it's the only way he can stick close to her. This was my favorite part of the book - Neal's scene in the pricey restaurant where he steals Colin's wallet; tracking the group through the streets, and finally partying with them at the club. Once he's in with their group, he comes up with a nice little bait and switch con that will (hopefully) leave Crisp and Colin holding the bag for the police. Needless to say, things don't go as planned.
I had fun with this and I'll be reading more in the series.
May 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this dip into the sub culture world of 80s UK punk. Story of teenage rescue flowed easily along characters were all mostly believable the main character Neal not a tough guy but actually a university student being roped into PI work by his mentor Joe who taught him and works for the bank. All of that is intriguing enough . Anyway I'm going to track more of Dan Winslows works down and I'll surely be even more entwined by them.
April 21, 2020
A Cool Breeze on the Underground is a clever, adventure-oriented private eye novel that occupies that narrow space between the hyper-realistic police procedurals popular today and the bombastic super-heroic style thrillers of yore (well, I guess there are still a few around today). As such, Don Winslow's first book in his Neil Carey series is exactly the kind of novel I look for: fun without being flippant, dark without being grotesque, and a P.I. you can root for whose neither constantly telling you how dull and routine investigative work is nor is he flying on his private fleet of jets between Hollywood cocktail parties. In that sense, it's also a book that sits pretty comfortably with Robert B. Parker's Spencer series and even Walter Mosley's Leonid McGill books: you couldn't say their heroes are the kind of private investigators you'd find in real life, but they're also not Jack Reacher, either.
Like most detective novels, A Cool Breeze on the Underground relies on the eccentricities of its main character and the mystery they're trying to solve. In this case, Neil Carey is a former street punk turned English Literature graduate student who, somewhere in-between, was trained as a private detective by his mentor – the short, bald, one-armed and impossibly skilled Joe Graham – and cajoled into working for a secretive organization that helps its members get out of scandals. As to the case? Finding and retrieving the beautiful, willful runaway daughter of an unsavoury politician who . . . well, you can probably work out the rest.
There's lots to enjoy in the book. Neil is fun if sometimes prone to moaning about his life. There are twists and turns here and there and lots of salacious moments to grab your attention. But there's also some issues that I personally attribute to the era in which the book was written (published in 1991 so we can assume he wrote it at the tail-end of the 1980s), but which leave an occasionally odd taste in the mouth. Numerous gay slurs (despite nobody in the book actually being gay), vaguely waved away by the fact that Neil himself doesn't seem particularly homophobic, a heavily stereotyped view of punk culture in the U.K., the general sense of drug addiction as either a moral failure or a response to someone else's moral failures, and women occupying roles largely determined by their appearance and sexuality. The problem with bringing those up is that it risks making the book sound entirely filled with such issues, but it's not. It's like watching a better version of a 1980's detective show: you can see the problems but they're more exigencies of the era than focal points of the story. It's also worth noting that you'll find those same issues in any number of "classics" of the genre, from Chandler to Parker and right up to Patterson.
With those caveats in place, I can see why the book was nominated for awards at the time. It's well-written, generally well-paced, with interesting characters and some touching scenes (even, sometimes, between the same punk characters Winslow mocks through most of the book). If you like Robert B. Parker's Spencer or even Dennis Lehane's Kenzie and Gennaro (the Kenzie half, anyway), then A Cool Breeze on the Underground is worth giving a read. In fact, I might go off and try out the second book in the series now . . .
Like most detective novels, A Cool Breeze on the Underground relies on the eccentricities of its main character and the mystery they're trying to solve. In this case, Neil Carey is a former street punk turned English Literature graduate student who, somewhere in-between, was trained as a private detective by his mentor – the short, bald, one-armed and impossibly skilled Joe Graham – and cajoled into working for a secretive organization that helps its members get out of scandals. As to the case? Finding and retrieving the beautiful, willful runaway daughter of an unsavoury politician who . . . well, you can probably work out the rest.
There's lots to enjoy in the book. Neil is fun if sometimes prone to moaning about his life. There are twists and turns here and there and lots of salacious moments to grab your attention. But there's also some issues that I personally attribute to the era in which the book was written (published in 1991 so we can assume he wrote it at the tail-end of the 1980s), but which leave an occasionally odd taste in the mouth. Numerous gay slurs (despite nobody in the book actually being gay), vaguely waved away by the fact that Neil himself doesn't seem particularly homophobic, a heavily stereotyped view of punk culture in the U.K., the general sense of drug addiction as either a moral failure or a response to someone else's moral failures, and women occupying roles largely determined by their appearance and sexuality. The problem with bringing those up is that it risks making the book sound entirely filled with such issues, but it's not. It's like watching a better version of a 1980's detective show: you can see the problems but they're more exigencies of the era than focal points of the story. It's also worth noting that you'll find those same issues in any number of "classics" of the genre, from Chandler to Parker and right up to Patterson.
With those caveats in place, I can see why the book was nominated for awards at the time. It's well-written, generally well-paced, with interesting characters and some touching scenes (even, sometimes, between the same punk characters Winslow mocks through most of the book). If you like Robert B. Parker's Spencer or even Dennis Lehane's Kenzie and Gennaro (the Kenzie half, anyway), then A Cool Breeze on the Underground is worth giving a read. In fact, I might go off and try out the second book in the series now . . .
February 7, 2017
4 días y 384 paginas despues.
Al parecer cada libro de Don Winslow es mejor que el anterior. Sí, estamos de acuerdo que la Fortaleza (previamente exhibida) de Winslow es su narrativa que te "jala" practicamente hacia delante, pero en este caso los personajes se llevan la historia, mejor dicho el principal. O bueno eso al menos a mí me lo parecía, sentí un fuerte sentimiento de empatía con el protagonista por eso lo devoré. Hace ya unos libros no sentía la ferrea necesidad de concluir un libro taaaan rápido. Creo que pude acabarlo en un día menos, pero creo que hubiera sido exageración de mi parte.
La historia es sencilla, un joven carterista es entrenado por un detective profesional para cierto tipos de trabajos, ambos trabajan para solucionar los problemas de un banco. Pronto le ven el suficiente potencial para usarlo en situaciones particularmente delicadas, y costean su educación a cambio de trabajos esporadicos. Esta primera parte se enfoca en el rescate de la hija de un senador extraviada en Londres.
Al grano, la narrativa es agil, el personaje de Neal me encanta, aunque se nota una diferencia muy abrupta entre el Neal joven y el Neal "mayor". La empatia con Neal y las situaciones lograron que quisiera (e intente) leer la serie, al menos la segunda parte.
No encontré muchos peros, no me parece vacía, me parece acertada, y todo encaja, así que para los fanaticos del misterio policiaco está bien. Al parecer hay comentarios mezclados, pero para mí ha estado excelente. Y recomendada.
Habra reseña.
Al parecer cada libro de Don Winslow es mejor que el anterior. Sí, estamos de acuerdo que la Fortaleza (previamente exhibida) de Winslow es su narrativa que te "jala" practicamente hacia delante, pero en este caso los personajes se llevan la historia, mejor dicho el principal. O bueno eso al menos a mí me lo parecía, sentí un fuerte sentimiento de empatía con el protagonista por eso lo devoré. Hace ya unos libros no sentía la ferrea necesidad de concluir un libro taaaan rápido. Creo que pude acabarlo en un día menos, pero creo que hubiera sido exageración de mi parte.
La historia es sencilla, un joven carterista es entrenado por un detective profesional para cierto tipos de trabajos, ambos trabajan para solucionar los problemas de un banco. Pronto le ven el suficiente potencial para usarlo en situaciones particularmente delicadas, y costean su educación a cambio de trabajos esporadicos. Esta primera parte se enfoca en el rescate de la hija de un senador extraviada en Londres.
Al grano, la narrativa es agil, el personaje de Neal me encanta, aunque se nota una diferencia muy abrupta entre el Neal joven y el Neal "mayor". La empatia con Neal y las situaciones lograron que quisiera (e intente) leer la serie, al menos la segunda parte.
No encontré muchos peros, no me parece vacía, me parece acertada, y todo encaja, así que para los fanaticos del misterio policiaco está bien. Al parecer hay comentarios mezclados, pero para mí ha estado excelente. Y recomendada.
Habra reseña.
July 21, 2017
"A Cool Breeze on the Underground" is the first novel of five in Winslow's Neal Carey series. This is a unique and rather hard to categorize mystery/crime series. Carey is not your typical hardboiled fedora-wearing PI. And this is not your typical crime novel. It's not a cover to cover action-packed bloodbath, although in the latter part of the book, the action does get a little hot and heavy.
The story is filled with history and backstories and all kinds of minutiae. I found it to be a terrific read, interesting from page one all the way through. The pacing just worked so well.
Winslow sets up Carey's story in a sort of roundabout manner, talking about an old style New England bank which found it profitable to take care of its clients and help them out with their personal troubles. Carey, the son of a no-good junkie/prostitute picks the pocket of the fixer for the Friends of the bank who decides to teach Carey all kinds of important things like how to tail someone and how to search an apartment. Carey turns out to be a kid genius and the Friends send him to prep schools and, when he is old enough, out to take care of business like finding a senator's runaway daughter.
The story is told in a slightly humorous, tongue-in-cheek fashion and it has its moments like when Carey is given boxing lessons. The job takes Carey to London in the seventies when punk rock was all the rage. This is clearly an author to follow.
The story is filled with history and backstories and all kinds of minutiae. I found it to be a terrific read, interesting from page one all the way through. The pacing just worked so well.
Winslow sets up Carey's story in a sort of roundabout manner, talking about an old style New England bank which found it profitable to take care of its clients and help them out with their personal troubles. Carey, the son of a no-good junkie/prostitute picks the pocket of the fixer for the Friends of the bank who decides to teach Carey all kinds of important things like how to tail someone and how to search an apartment. Carey turns out to be a kid genius and the Friends send him to prep schools and, when he is old enough, out to take care of business like finding a senator's runaway daughter.
The story is told in a slightly humorous, tongue-in-cheek fashion and it has its moments like when Carey is given boxing lessons. The job takes Carey to London in the seventies when punk rock was all the rage. This is clearly an author to follow.
January 14, 2016
I plowed through this novel on pure Don Winslow inertia as this was the sixth of his books that I have read in the past six weeks and this was my least favorite of the bunch although I enjoyed it more than Savages which I read a few years ago. There is little to recommend this novel that tells the story of the education of a street urchin as he toils under the tutelage of a one-armed midget detective Yoda. I suppose the simple fact that I finished the book should say something about the quality but I read everything and don't put much stock in simply finishing a book.
I just discovered that this was his first novel which sort of changes my opinion of the work for the better. It is easy to see a lot of promise in this novel and a sense that he isn't your average, run-of-the-mill scribbler of thrillers.
I just discovered that this was his first novel which sort of changes my opinion of the work for the better. It is easy to see a lot of promise in this novel and a sense that he isn't your average, run-of-the-mill scribbler of thrillers.
January 24, 2018
Non è una bocciatura, ma solo una valutazione punitiva per uno scrittore che può dare di più.
Questa prima avventura di Neal Carey ha tanti pregi e diversi capitoli avvincenti, eppure è un po' farraginoso nello sviluppo della trama ed eccessivamente discontinuo nel ritmo, ora concitato, ora troppo lento.
Considerando che si tratta di un libro dei primi anni '90, quando ancora imperavano (sia nel cinema, sia nei romanzi di avventura) i protagonisti muscolari e tutti d'un pezzo, trovo curiosa la scelta di Winslow di affidare il ruolo di protagonista ad un personaggio che è tanto fine di cervello quanto poco dotato dal punto di vista fisico/atletico (non è cintura nera di qualche arte marziale -anzi spesso le prende di santa ragione-, alla guida è un disastro, non c'è alcun tratto di machismo nelle capacità amatorie -anzi da questo punto di vista si avvicina tremendamente all'identikit dell'uomo del ventunesimo secolo, pieno di paure e dubbi-).
Se si trattasse di un tema scolastico direi che l'idea di base e il materiale narrativo sono di buona qualità, mentre lo svolgimento è da rivedere.
Questa prima avventura di Neal Carey ha tanti pregi e diversi capitoli avvincenti, eppure è un po' farraginoso nello sviluppo della trama ed eccessivamente discontinuo nel ritmo, ora concitato, ora troppo lento.
Considerando che si tratta di un libro dei primi anni '90, quando ancora imperavano (sia nel cinema, sia nei romanzi di avventura) i protagonisti muscolari e tutti d'un pezzo, trovo curiosa la scelta di Winslow di affidare il ruolo di protagonista ad un personaggio che è tanto fine di cervello quanto poco dotato dal punto di vista fisico/atletico (non è cintura nera di qualche arte marziale -anzi spesso le prende di santa ragione-, alla guida è un disastro, non c'è alcun tratto di machismo nelle capacità amatorie -anzi da questo punto di vista si avvicina tremendamente all'identikit dell'uomo del ventunesimo secolo, pieno di paure e dubbi-).
Se si trattasse di un tema scolastico direi che l'idea di base e il materiale narrativo sono di buona qualità, mentre lo svolgimento è da rivedere.
December 17, 2023
I have been pretty sick, mostly unable to focus on even simple audiobooks let alone anything in text format or anything with depth. This book was a good choice under the circumstancrs. Simple as it is it still took me a week to listen to. Slowly but surely I made it to the end. This was Don Winslow's first book. You can see the beginnings of the talented writer to come, but there is also a lot here that feels contrived and/or borrowed from other crime dramas, (and IMO many of the crime dramas borrowed from were not great to start.) We do get the beginnings of a good detective character so that is a positive thing. This is for the Winslow completists.
May 11, 2017
En realidad la puntuación final es de 4.5/5 .
Debo admitir que se me hizo raro leer esta historia, primero porque la trama es totalmente diferente a lo que nos tiene ya acostumbrados este autor, segundo porque aunque si es una lectura ágil, entretenida y atrapante, en ocasiones me sentí confusa, no todo estaba narrado tan claro, los giros argumentales, que normalmente suelen sorprenderme increíblemente, lo que hacían era confundirme, no siempre claro, y es por ello que decidí quitarle media estrella.
Y quitando ese pequeño detalle anteriormente descrito he de decir que el libro me gustó muchísimo, la trama buena y diferente, los personajes alucinantes, porque si algo caracteriza a Winslow es el don que tiene para crear personajes carismáticos por los que sientes una gran empatía o un odio extremo, y si el autor es capaz de hacerte sentir de esa manera es por que es jodidamente bueno.
Un autor que recomendaría con los ojos cerrados.
¡a por la segunda parte!
Debo admitir que se me hizo raro leer esta historia, primero porque la trama es totalmente diferente a lo que nos tiene ya acostumbrados este autor, segundo porque aunque si es una lectura ágil, entretenida y atrapante, en ocasiones me sentí confusa, no todo estaba narrado tan claro, los giros argumentales, que normalmente suelen sorprenderme increíblemente, lo que hacían era confundirme, no siempre claro, y es por ello que decidí quitarle media estrella.
Y quitando ese pequeño detalle anteriormente descrito he de decir que el libro me gustó muchísimo, la trama buena y diferente, los personajes alucinantes, porque si algo caracteriza a Winslow es el don que tiene para crear personajes carismáticos por los que sientes una gran empatía o un odio extremo, y si el autor es capaz de hacerte sentir de esa manera es por que es jodidamente bueno.
Un autor que recomendaría con los ojos cerrados.
¡a por la segunda parte!
August 17, 2015
This was an enjoyable read. I liked it better than Winslow's Savages because it was, well, far less savage. Neal Carey is a pretty original detective. A child of the streets who steals the wrong wallet, or maybe the right wallet.
When we meet Neal, he is working on his doctorate in English literature. But soon he is off to do a job for "the family." This is not the crime family, but a bank that does detective work for customers who would prefer that their business stays out of the public eye. Neal is sent to London to find the runaway daughter of a wannabe VP candidate.
As Neal goes about his job, we learn how he came to be part of the family and about "Dad," a dwarf with only one hand who is Neal's mentor in the detective business.
Neal is not your typical detective and I enjoyed meeting him. I will likely read more of the Neal Carey series.
When we meet Neal, he is working on his doctorate in English literature. But soon he is off to do a job for "the family." This is not the crime family, but a bank that does detective work for customers who would prefer that their business stays out of the public eye. Neal is sent to London to find the runaway daughter of a wannabe VP candidate.
As Neal goes about his job, we learn how he came to be part of the family and about "Dad," a dwarf with only one hand who is Neal's mentor in the detective business.
Neal is not your typical detective and I enjoyed meeting him. I will likely read more of the Neal Carey series.
October 3, 2008
COOL BREEZE ON THE UNDERGROUND - Ex
Winslow, Don - 1st in Neal Carey series
He's a grad student in the Ivy League. He's also a private investigator trying to find a runaway teen. Now, he's in over his head. Up against punk junkies, antique book thieves, and murderous betrayal, Neal Carey has his work cut out for him to save Allie--and get back above ground for good.
1996 Top Read - I was knocked-out by this book. It was so good. I loved the relationship between Carey and "Dad" and Carey's learning how to trail people. It was fascinating, absolutely page-turning and I absolutely loved it.
Winslow, Don - 1st in Neal Carey series
He's a grad student in the Ivy League. He's also a private investigator trying to find a runaway teen. Now, he's in over his head. Up against punk junkies, antique book thieves, and murderous betrayal, Neal Carey has his work cut out for him to save Allie--and get back above ground for good.
1996 Top Read - I was knocked-out by this book. It was so good. I loved the relationship between Carey and "Dad" and Carey's learning how to trail people. It was fascinating, absolutely page-turning and I absolutely loved it.
October 2, 2020
Don Winslow has written a good, original story about a clever, street smart PI and his mentor “dad” who taught him the ropes from the time he was a young adolescent. Superior stuff and just serious enough, but light and funny too, in a fine balance. Maybe 4.5 stars, even. It’s an entertaining, quirky tale.
July 12, 2015
I looked forward to reading this book! 23 year old grad student/NYC private eye Neal Carey, is hired to find the teenage, drug-addicted daughter of a U.S. senator and presidential hopeful. She is somewhere in London and must be returned to her parents before the Democratic Convention nine weeks away. Neal finds Allie, who is deep into the 1976 London punk scene. I expected the novel to be more raw, and was grossly disappointed. Neal turns out to be so lame- completely unconvincing. He grew up on the streets of New York raised by a heroine addicted prostitute mother, and taken in by a hard nosed PI and shown "the ropes" of the business. The story goes off in so many directions, the excitement and potential grit is lost in detail having nothing to do with the main plot development. The punks are less than punk-y and Allie, the spoiled runaway is so annoying, I found myself wishing the worst for her! This is the first in a series; perhaps subsequent stories improve in story-telling but I won't be reading them.
September 23, 2017
I had read two other books in this series, so I finally got around to reading the first! And I'm so glad that I did! We get a lot of background on Neal and how he became who he is, and how Graham fits in to his life and upbringing, and it's all fun to read! (especially how Graham uses his prosthesis to "catch" Neal!) We also learn about the foundation of Friends Of The Family, and that's a good tale too! The "main" story is good too, Neal goes to London to find a gal, but it's much more complicated than all that! Don't let the lame cover fool you, this is a good read indeed!
September 17, 2020
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I'd read it a long time ago (published in 1991) and was reminded of it again recently and read it again. It's in the crime/PI family but different and distinctive which is great given how formulaic much crime fiction is.
Great characters and dialog, and the pacing worked for me. I don't usually like too many time shifts but they worked well here and the back story provided an education to me as well as to Neal. I'll definitely be reading more of the Neal Carey series.
Great characters and dialog, and the pacing worked for me. I don't usually like too many time shifts but they worked well here and the back story provided an education to me as well as to Neal. I'll definitely be reading more of the Neal Carey series.
March 7, 2009
Both a solid private eye novel and a solid first novel. Well worth the read, although the book can be hard-to-find. With the success of Winslow's later books, I'm surprised that the whole Neal Carey series is not in print (This book was even an Edgar nominee).
While sometimes it tries to do too much, combining the current case with a form of "origin story", that is also the charm of most first novels. Great dialogue, dozens of fun scenes, and a unique premise.
While sometimes it tries to do too much, combining the current case with a form of "origin story", that is also the charm of most first novels. Great dialogue, dozens of fun scenes, and a unique premise.
January 10, 2016
This first Neal Carey adventure is the education of a street grifter to a young but very able gumshoe and wannabe literature scholar. With the exception of a very slow moving part waiting in London, this is a brilliantly plotted page-turner. Winslow dialog is crisp and his thugs despicable, with a delicious hint of Robert B. Parker, Elmore Leonard and Carl Hiaasen.
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